Hezbollah intensified operations across Lebanon and northern Israel, combining close-range clashes with deep strikes as Israeli occupation forces reported mounting losses.
Key Developments
- Hezbollah targets Israeli command centers and Iron Dome systems.
- Close-range clashes halt Israeli infiltration attempts in southern Lebanon.
- Israeli forces report casualties as resistance expands coordinated attacks.
UPDATE: Hezbollah Destroys 20 Merkava Tanks, Expands Strikes on ‘Tefen’ and Northern Israeli Targets
Hezbollah announced a major escalation on Thursday, confirming the destruction of 20 Israeli Merkava tanks since dawn in coordinated operations across southern Lebanon. According to the group, multiple tanks were targeted in Deir Siryan, Qantara, Taybeh and Dibel using guided missiles, with confirmed direct hits. The latest operations bring the total number of destroyed Merkava tanks to 75.
The resistance also carried out drone and rocket strikes on the Tefen base east of Acre, targeted the Krayot area north of Haifa, and struck logistical sites in Karm Ben Zimra. In parallel, Hezbollah forced an Israeli helicopter to withdraw after targeting it with an air defense missile.
Hezbollah Expands Scope of Operations
The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah escalated its military operations on Thursday, carrying out coordinated strikes against Israeli military infrastructure and settlements while continuing ground engagements along the southern border.
Hezbollah said in a statement on Thursday that it targeted the headquarters of the Israeli army’s Northern Command (Dado base) north of Safed with a missile salvo. It also launched a swarm of attack drones against Iron Dome platforms at the Burya base west of Lake Tiberias.
The operations extended to multiple settlements and military positions, including Kiryat Shmona, Al-Manara, and Al-Mutla, alongside artillery sites and forward positions near the border.
Hezbollah said these attacks were carried out in defense of Lebanon and in response to continued Israeli strikes on civilians and infrastructure.
⭕️العدو الأميركي والإسرائيلي قام بارتكاب كل أنواع الجرائم تجاه أبناء الشعب الإيراني المسلم في عدوان ليس له مبرر
قائد أنصار الله السيد عبد الملك الحوثي#الميادين pic.twitter.com/kC9MoEb25A
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) March 26, 2026
At Close Range
On the ground, the confrontation has shifted into direct and sustained clashes at close range.
Hezbollah fighters engaged Israeli occupation forces attempting to advance into southern Lebanon, particularly in areas such as Qantara and Deir Siryan. The fighting involved light and medium weapons as well as rocket-propelled grenades, with clashes described as taking place at “point-blank range.”
According to Hezbollah, Israeli infiltration attempts were repelled, with confirmed casualties among Israeli forces.
In one instance, resistance fighters targeted Israeli troops near a mosque and school in Deir Siryan, while another engagement took place along the road to Qantara, where Israeli forces attempting to advance were met with direct fire.
Mounting Losses and Equipment Destruction
Hezbollah indicated that Israeli armored units have suffered significant losses as fighting intensified along the border.
The group reported multiple strikes against Merkava tanks across several areas, describing repeated direct hits using guided missiles.
During one such engagement, a helicopter attempting to evacuate wounded Israeli soldiers was targeted with an air defense missile, forcing it to withdraw.
Beyond the border, Hezbollah expanded its operations deeper into Israeli-held territory.
⚡ WATCH: Direct hit in Netanya, visible from villages in the Jenin area. pic.twitter.com/Rjiz19P8Kf
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) March 26, 2026
The resistance announced strikes on the Israeli Ministry of War headquarters (the Kirya) in central Tel Aviv, as well as the Dolphin barracks linked to military intelligence north of the city.
These attacks marked a continuation of Hezbollah’s strategy of combining frontline engagements with deeper strikes on command and strategic sites.
‘Very Difficult Morning’
Israeli sources acknowledged growing pressure on their forces.
The Israeli army confirmed the killing of a soldier from the elite Golani Brigade during fighting in southern Lebanon, while Israeli media reported that 15 soldiers were wounded overnight.
A correspondent for Channel 12 described the situation as “a very difficult morning,” referring to a reported ambush targeting an elite Golani unit in the early hours of the day.
Israeli media also indicated that hundreds of projectiles—including rockets and drones—were launched within a 24-hour period.
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Regional Front Expands with Iraqi Operations
The escalation in Lebanon comes alongside increased activity by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which announced carrying out 23 operations over the past 24 hours using drones targeting US-linked positions in Iraq and across the region.
These operations are part of a broader regional campaign aligned with ongoing developments in the war, as multiple fronts remain active simultaneously.
(PC, Al Mayadeen, Hezbollah military media, Israeli media)
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